Journal: Journal of Dispensational Theology
Volume: JODT 27:75 (Autumn 2023)
Article: Book Reviews
Author: Anonymous

JODT 27:75 (Autumn 2023) p. 189

Book Reviews

Becoming Free Indeed: My Story of Disentangling Faith from Fear by Jinger Duggar Vuolo. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2023. 240 pp., cloth, $29.99.

Jinger Duggar Vuolo is well known as the sixth child of the Duggar family from TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting reality TV show. She and most of her family are avowed Christians who adhered closely to the teachings of Bill Gothard and his Institute in Basic Life Principles. In her youth, Duggar Vuolo was starstruck by Gothard and considered him the best Bible teacher in the world. Many of his principles and ideas were displayed on the various Duggar episodes and the author embraced them all, having been sheltered from other expressions of Christianity. Not until she became involved with a few people outside the influence of Gothard – people who carefully studied and interpreted Scripture, including a young man who would become her husband – did she began to realize that many of Gothard’s principles were not actually drawn from Scripture but from his own twist on the Word and his personal legalistic convictions. This began the process of disentangling her from legalism and being set free by what the Bible actually taught.

Duggar Vuolo says that writing her book was the hardest thing she has ever done, but her story needed to be told. The difficulty with this project had to do with the delicate nature of it. She realized that she could offend and lose friends who are encased in Gothard’s legalism, including her own family (the Duggars) who are still affiliated with his Institute and apparently have not recognized the legalism as their daughter has. The book is part personal testimony, part exposé of Gothard’s legalistic teachings, and part how she now understands Scripture.

Concerning Gothard she offers numerous examples of his false teachings and twisting of Scripture, yet she mostly avoids his more serious errors. Many compelling examples could have been supplied, which would have more clearly revealed not only Gothard’s false teachings but also the damage he has done in many lives. Duggar Vuolo mentioned that hundreds (perhaps thousands) have suffered spiritual damage and some have even left the faith because they were not able to disentangle from Gothard’s teachings as she has done. However, no statistics or examples of such are given so it is not apparent how she knows of such widespread harm, although she is probably correct. Treading carefully around her parents’

JODT 27:75 (Autumn 2023) p. 190

involvement with Gothard had to be tricky, but the author handled it with grace, even as she refrained from using all the available evidence and information. The Duggar family has to take some serious credit (or, better, blame) ...